Coupling for superheaters.



P. OONRATH.

COUPLING FOR SUPERHEATERS.

APPLICATION FILED 1320,15, 1910.

Lafifim, Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED DEO.16, 1910.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914 2 SHEETS8HEET 2.

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FREDEMCT. CONRATH, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALE T0 I-Z. 'EF/IEESON AMI) GNE-IHALF T0 HENRY YOEEG, BOTH OF ST. PAUL, MINNEQRQIiZt.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. Ml, 12 14.

Application filed December 15, 1910. Serial 210. 597,583.

To cZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK Connn'rr of St. Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings for Superheaters, of;

which the following is a specification.

In the superheater now in use a means of connection between the superheater casting and the tubes is shown, which consists in providing bosses on the walls of the casting having sockets to receive the ends of the superheater tubes and pockets communicating with said tubes and with the chambers respectively of the casting. These bosses are staggered so that each one is accessible from the front of the superheater without disturbing the connections of the other bosses.

The object of my present invention is to improve the means for connecting the bosses with the superheater tubes so that it will be unnecessary to cut off the end of the tube and back the cut-off end out of the boss, an ordinary wrench being the only tool required in my invention to separate the tube from the boss.

Myinvention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a boiler showing one section of the superheater and illustrating the manner of mounting the bosses on the casting, Fig. 2 is a detail view on a section line substantially atright angles to the view in Fig. 1, showing the relative position of the superheater casting, the flue sheet and the flue, Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating the details of my improved coupling, Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the form of gasket which 1 prefer to employ.

in the drawing, 2 represents the boiler, 3 the flue sheet and 4c the fines into which the superheater tubes are inserted.

5 is one section of the superheater, a similar section being provided onthe other side of the longitudinal center of the boiler. l have not thought it necessary to illustrate this oth r section herein, it being sufficient to state that both of these sections or. castings are provided with saturated and superheated steam chambers, 7 and 8, communicating respectively with pockets in the alternate E which are tapped into the walls of the superheater section or casting in the usual Way.

11 represents a superheater tube having a loop formed therein with a return bend and inserted into the fine in the boiler and provided with a threaded end 12 fitting a coupling 13. This coupling is preferably pro vided with an outer surface 14 that is adapted to receive a wrench. The outer endof the coupling is provided preferably with a flat face 15 fitting a socket 16 in one face of the boss 6 and between the fiat face 15 and the inner wall of the socket is a gasket 17, preferably of metal, having annular ribs 18 formed on each side thereof. These ribs contact with the flat face 15 and with the bottom of the socket and form narrow bear ing surfaces which will seatthemselves bestos gasket should be fairly durable theheat of the steam is so intense that it will soon burn it'out.

The outer end of the coupling 13 is interiorly threaded to receive the exteriorly threaded end of a plug 19 which has an end 20 adapted to receive a Wrench and a flange 21 which fits within asocket in the wall of the boss corresponding to the socket just described and which l will designate by the same reference numeral. I also provide at this point another gasket, preferably the same as the one described and having the same function. The plug 19 has a chamber 22 therein communicating with the superheater tube and I may provide a shoulder 23 in the coupling 13 with which the end of the plug 22 contacts when the parts are assembled. The walls of the plug 22 have slots 24- therein leading from the chamber 22-to the passage 9. The other end of the superheater tube is mounted in its boss in a similar manner.

will

lie?

Milli With this construction, to remove the tube from the superheater casting it will only be necessary to hold the coupling 13 from turning by a suitable means, apply a wrench to the end until the plug 19 is loosened and when it is withdrawn from the coupling 13 the superheater tube is entirely free from its connection with the superheater section Without the necessity of cutting the tube or damaging it in any way and it may then be readily removed from the boiler flue. Evidently the separation of the tube from the header where this construction is employed is a comparatively simple matter and will only require a very few moments time, and as the ends of each tube are connected with the header on the same side it is evident that any tube can be removed-from its flue and header without disturbing the other tubes or the header castings.

I am aware that the details of my improved eoupling may be'modified in various ways and still be Within the scope of my invention and I do not, therefore, wish to be confined to the details of the various connections as herein shown.

I claim as my invention 1. A superheater header having saturated and superheated steam chambers formed therein, and hollow external' projections having holes in their outer walls and communicating with said chambers respectively, superheater tubes, couplings connecting said superheater tubes with said projections, said couplings comprising members fitting within the holes in the walls of said projections and seated at one end therein, and second coupling members seated in the walls of said projections at the other ends of said first named members, and connecting said first named coupling members and said superheater tubes, the seating of said second 'members simultaneously seating said first named members and drawing them and said superheater tubes together;

'2. A superheater header having saturated and superheated steam chambers formed therein and projections thereon having pockets communicating respectively with said chambers, said projections having sockets to receive the ends of a superheater tube, gaskets interposed between said ends and the bottoms of said sockets, and plugs'fitting into holes in said projections and having threaded connections with said tubes and provided with passages communicating with said tubes and said pockets.

3. A sup'etheater header having saturated and superheated steam chambers formed therein and external projections having holes therethrough and pockets therein communicating respectively with said chambers, hollow plugs fitting within the holes in said projections, a superheater tube, said plugs "having means for the application of an opoaaaov crating tool thereto at one end and connections with the ends of said superheater tube at the other end, and metallic gaskets having annular ribs thereon provided between said tube ends and the walls of said projections.

4. A superheater header having saturated and superheated steam chambers formed therein and external projections provided with holes therethrough and internal pockets communicating respectively with said chambers, said holes having sockets on each side of said projections, superheater tubes having ends fitting into the sockets on one side of said projections, plugs fitting into said holes on the other side of said projections and having threaded connections with the ends of said tubes and having passages communicating with said tubes and with said pockets, and gaskets interposed between sa1d plugs, the ends of said tubes and the bottoms of said-sockets.

. 5. A superheater header having saturated and superheated steam chambers formed having a pocket communicating through the wall of said header with said steam compartment, said rojection having an opening extending t erethrough in a plane substantially parallel with the exterior wall of said header, of a superheater tube having a threaded end that is arranged in line with the opening in said projection, a plug arranged in said opening and provided at one end with a shoulder bearing against the wall of said projection around said 0 ening, and

a sleeve at the opposite end 0 said plu connecting the end of said plug and the en of said superheater tube, the shoulder on said plug and the end of said sleeve forming steam-tight joints with said projections, substantially as described.

7. In a superheater, the combination, with a header having a steam compartment therein and an external projection provided with a pocket communicating through the wall of said header with said steam compartment, said project-ion having an opening therethrough and seats at each end of said opening, of a superheater tube having a thread ed end arranged in line with the opening in said projection and a coupling having means for connection with the threaded end of Edd said tube and extending through said opening and forming steam-tight joints with the seats at the ends of said opening.

8. In a superheater, the combination, with a header having a steam compartment therein, and an external projection provided with a pocket communicating through the wall of said header with said steam compartment, said projection having openings in its walls on opposite sides of said ocket, and recesses extending around sai openings, of a superheater tube having a threaded end in line with said openings and a coupling device connecting said tube with said projection, said couplin low plug fitting within the openings in said projection and having ports communicating with said pocket and a shoulder to enter the recess of one o ening, and an exteriorly device including a hol- 1 threaded sleeve a a ted to receive the end 20 of said, tube and sai plug and seated in the recess around the other opening.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of December 1910.

FREDERICK CONRATH.

Witnesses: C. H. REHFUss, Go E.,SORENBEN. 

